2003 Ford Ranger

I DRIVE THE 2003 FORD RANGER EDGE V-6, 3.0. IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC MY TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEAR...IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES THROUGH OUT THE YEAR I'VE HAD THE TRUCK. THE PROBLEM IS USUALLY FROM 0-25 MPH. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY TURNED ME AWAY BLAMING ME FOR THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM....EVEN THOUGH MY TRUCK WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

FAILURE OCCURS ON A 2003 RANGER EDGE 4WD 4.0L EXTENDED CAB, IN THIS CASE, AS WELL AS IN MANY OTHER MODEL YEARS AND STYLES OF THE FORD RANGER PICKUP. FORD DESIGN FLAW IN PLACEMENT OF FUEL PUMP CUTOFF SWITCH (INERTIA SWITCH) IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHERE IT CAN BE EASILY KICKED (TRIGGERED) BY PASSENGER. DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT: 1. ENGINE TURNED OFF AT SUPERMARKET, VEHICLE PARKED ON A COLD JANUARY NIGHT. PASSENGER INADVERTENTLY TRIPS FUEL PUMP CUTOFF SWITCH WITH FOOT WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE. PARTIES RETURN TO A VEHICLE THAT WILL CRANK BUT WILL NOT START. UNAWARE OF FORD'S DESIGN FLAW, PARTIES WALK HOME IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES BURDENED WITH VALUABLES AND GROCERIES. INTERNET RESEARCH ON WIKI ANSWERS SITE REVEALS TRIPPED FUEL CUTOFF SWITCH AS COMMON PROBLEM AS A RESULT OF A DESIGN FLAW THAT PLACES SAID SWITCH WITHIN EASY KICKING DISTANCE OF PASSENGER'S FEET. OWNER RETURNS TO TRUCK NEXT DAY, RE-SETS THE SWITCH AND VEHICLE STARTS NORMALLY. 2. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHENEVER PASSENGER RAISES THEIR RIGHT FOOT, INADVERTENTLY MAKING CONTACT WITH THE SWITCH. 3. THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED BY RE-SETTING THE SWITCH, BUT DESIGN FLAW PERSISTS. THIS DESIGN FLAW COULD BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS IF SWITCH WAS KICKED (TRIGGERED) AT SPEED ON CROWDED FREEWAYS OR IN REMOTE LOCATIONS. THIS IMPROPER PLACEMENT MAY BE PURPOSEFUL TO KEEP FORD REPAIR TECH'S BUSY, AS THIS DESIGN FLAW IS FOUND IN MANY MODEL YEARS AND STYLES OF THE RANGER PICKUP. VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED TO HAVE SWITCH RE-MOUNTED UP A MINIMUM OF 4 INCHES, OR REROUTED AND PLACED UP UNDER THE DASH SO INADVERTENT TRIGGERING COULD NOT OCCUR BY PASSENGER SHIFTING FEET OR EXITING VEHICLE. *TR

WHILE USING RAMPS TO LOAD LAWN EQUIPMENT INTO THE BED OF MY 2003 FORD RANGER PICKUP, BOTH OF THE TAILGATE LIMIT CABLES BROKE SIMULTANEOUSLY. EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED CABLED INDICATED THEY BOTH BROKE AT THE SAME LOCATION, ROUGHLY THE MIDPOINT OF THE CABLE WHERE IT IS FOLDED WHEN THE TAILGATE IS IN THE UP POSITION. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT WATER MIGHT HAVE ENTERED THE CABLE SHEATH AND RUSTED THE CABLE. THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN THE TAILGATE DROPPING APPROXIMATELY SIX INCHED AND NEARLY CAUSING TWO PERSONS PLUS HEAVY EQUIPMENT TO FALL TO THE GROUND. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY. THIS APPEARS TO BE A CLASSIC DESIGN FLAW. I TRIED TO GET NEW CABLES FROM FORD, BUT THEY ARE ON BACKORDER PENDING RE-DESIGN (ACCORDING TO THE PARTS DEPARTMENT AT THE FORD DEALER I WENT TO). THIS SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT NOTIFIED ITS CUSTOMERS. *TR

THE INERTIA SWITCH LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD ENGAGES AT THE SLIGHTED BUMP. I'VE HAD THIS CAR FOR 5 YEARS AND CONTINUE TO GET FALSE INFORMATION FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP ABOUT AVENUES OF RECOURSE OR RECTIFICATION. ITS A FAULTY DESIGN FOR THE INERTIA SWITCH TO BE LOCATED NEAR POSSIBLE CONTACT WITH A PASSENGER. LEGAL RECOURSE WILL BE PURSUED. *TR

WHEN RELEASING THE PARKING BRAKE DURING WET CONDITIONS THE LININGS STICK TO THE DRUMS, THIS IS ESPECIALLY A PROBLEM IN THE WINTER MONTHS AS THEY WILL FREEZE. THIS ALSO CAUSES THE BRAKES TO BE EXTREMELY SENSITIVE DURING THE FIRST 5 MILES (APPROX) OF BRAKING. WHEN THE VEHICLE SERVICE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE REAR WHEEL GRAB HARD AND THE ABS TRIES TO RELEASE THEM AND CAN'T. I HAVE HAD TWO FAULTS ON THE ABS DUE TO THIS. THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME THING THIS HAPPENS SO FREQUENTLY THAT DURING WET/FREEZING CONDITIONS I ACTUALLY USE A 4X4 WOOD BLOCK TO HOLD THE VEHICLE IN PLACE.. *TR

THE STEEL CABLES THAT SUPPORT THE TAIL GATE OF MY 2003 FORD RANGER FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE TAILGATE DROPPED AND IT THE BUMPER. HAD I BEEN STANDING ON THE TAIL GATE OR HAD A LOAD PLACED ON IT I WOULD HAVE FALLEN TO THE GROUND OR THE LOAD WOULD HAVE DROPPED WHICH EITHER WOULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY. THE CABLES FAILED DUE TO CORROSION. THEY ARE COVERED BY A PLASTIC SLEEVE WITH OPEN ENDS WHICH ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THE CABLE ASSEMBLY AND BECOME TRAPPED CAUSING THE CABLE TO CORRODED PREMATURELY. *TR

INERTIA SWITCH BELOW PASSENGER SIDE DASH BOARD DEFECTIVE. HAD TO BE RESET FREQUENTLY (NO LESS THAN ONCE WEEKLY FOR 3 YEARS), UNTIL IT CAUSED SMALL ELECTRICAL FIRE BENEATH PASSENGER'S FEET. ENGINE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING 65MPH ON I-17 IN CENTRAL PHOENIX. HEAVY TRAFFIC CAUSED DIFFICULTY MANEUVERING ACROSS 3 LANES TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. AN ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER WAS NEAR BY, AND ASSISTED TO PREVENT A COLLISION. PASSENGER PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH ONBOARD FIRE EXTINGUISHER. AFTER REPLACING THE INERTIA SWITCH (WHICH WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY FIRE), THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS AIR BAGS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONSTANTLY REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. HE HAS SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR APRIL 14, 2008 TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 48,000.